


Here of All Places

by greenJeanKirstein



Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén
Genre: Alcohol, Cigarettes, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Blow Jobs, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Multi, Other, Spoilers, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:53:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23984101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenJeanKirstein/pseuds/greenJeanKirstein
Summary: Herald takes Declan out for drinks. They're noticed by someone who offers to buy them drinks and to spend time with them. Someone who could pass as Declan's older sibling. Even when their offer is politely rejected, from a balcony up above, they can be a voyeur.(Also Ortega is amused and a good helpful friend)
Relationships: Herald/Sidestep (Fallen Hero), implied Herald/Sidestep (Fallen Hero), implied Sidestep/Herald/Hollow Ground
Kudos: 7





	Here of All Places

Eden went out a lot. He went shopping, went to work out, went to Joes, and sometimes to other bars as well. Eden was good when it came to socialising; he could have a couple of drinks with Boosted men and with Modded ladies, and with everyone in between, smiling and flirting as much as he felt like. And if someone asked nicely enough, or promised a good enough time, he had no problem following the people home for some after-drinks specials. 

Declan, on the other hand, could not do half of that without their mask, their puppet. They could not go to Joes, could not drink alcohol without feeling sick, and could not talk to anyone without having to tread the thin line of reading the thoughts of people too much or too little. Body contact was also not appreciated. Too much body contact, and people would _know_ , they would _find out_ and then Declan would be in much more trouble than from just going to the club. 

Not that Daniel knew. From what he had heard from Ortega and had pieced together himself, Declan was just shy, just retired, just trying to live a slow boring life. Not a hero by any means. A civilian. Just there. The exact opposite of how Daniel was leading his life. Even if they were helping him train.

Other than the monthly therapy sessions, after-therapy coffees with Ortega and occasional workouts with Daniel, Declan did not even go out, did they?

“It’s not healthy to not go out,” Daniel told Declan after their latest workout, wiping his sweaty face with a towel. Declan just hummed, acknowledging the words while lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag from it. They were sweaty too, just a bit, nowhere as ragged and tired as Daniel.

“We could go out together if you do not want to go out alone.” He was offering, not pushing. Little steps. Slow steps. Ortega had warned him - too much, and Declan will close up and run. They will step aside and vanish. 

Declan just raised one eyebrow, still smoking their cigarette, watching Daniel. _Like a cornered animal_ , Daniel thought, _ready to attack or to run._ “We are out.” They said, letting Daniel’s thoughts slip through their mind without paying much attention to them. Even if the thoughts _were_ true.

Daniel’s laugh was boyish and _charming_ and utterly unacceptable because Declan’s resolve was already beginning to dissolve. 

“Out as in going to a restaurant. Or maybe to a bar even? I know a nice place. You seem lonely… Meeting new people could help. Surely your therapist has told you by now that human contact is important.” Daniel had stopped wiping his face by now, and looked at Declan with a soft expression, a mixture of worry and care. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to… I just figured I’d offer… I know you prefer hanging out with Ortega and all…” 

He sounded almost sad. Sad enough that Declan not only wanted to punch him but also to take him up on the offer. Sighing heavily, they crushed the empty can and threw it into their bag.

“Fine.” They said, getting ready for another round of fighting. 

Daniel’s smile was equally as charming and boyish than his laugh had been, and Declan very gladly punched that smile off his face. 

“What have I told you? Never let your guard down, _Harold_ ,” they said, offering Daniel a hand to help him up from the ground. Daniel took the hand, smiling. _Good. They could use some leisure time._

Declan let that pass too. Even if it was also true.

\---

Thankfully Eden and Declan were of a similar size. Sure, Eden was a bit shorter and dressed much differently, but it was also easier to walk out as Eden and into a nice clothing store. Eden talked to people, asked advice - and when Eden politely asked which clothes would look nice in a bar but would not be too flashy, a woman showed him a pair of black jeans, a lovely grey button-up shirt, and even a black leather jacket.

“You’ll look amazing in it! Your date will love it!” She promised as she sent Eden to try the clothes on. However, he bought them in Declan’s size later. 

“For a friend,” Eden said with a little wink, able to read people’s body language enough to know that the sales’ assistant was confused. A pair of nice shoes and a bottle of cologne later, Eden was sure that Declan would look as prepared as possible. 

Declan, however, wasn’t sure at all.

\--

“Let me get this straight,” Ortega said, doing his best to hold back a laugh and not to show his glee on his face. “Herald asked you out, and you… The best part, right, you said _yes_?” He had taken them to their usual coffee place, had paid for their coffee and now was being a smug asshole. “I thought miracles didn’t happen but I guess I’ve been wronged.”  
  
  


Declan sighed, rubbing their face. “Don’t start, Ortega.” Their hands itched for another cigarette so badly that they were shaking almost noticeably. “He… I suppose I felt guilty for saying no.” They ignored how their cheeks turned pink and how Ortega kept looking at them like he knew they were lying. He knew them well, even after all of those years.

“Guilty for saying no to him?” Ortega kept pushing it, and Declan rubbed their face again, especially their nose, as a headache was starting to build up more. “He’s a good kid, Declan.”

“I know,” Declan mumbled, finishing their coffee and grabbed for their cigarettes. “I know.” They left Ortega to pay the bill, going outside to have another cigarette and a moment of rest. 

Daniel really was a good kid and Declan was neither of those. They had not been into a bar for a long while either, never both comfortable and in their own body. How it would turn out, they did not know. Of course, they had been prescribed something to take the edge off, but experimenting with Xanax left their telepathy wonky and not as sharp. Everything came with its drawbacks it seemed.

\--

They had agreed to meet at the bar. Daniel could not drive, he did not have a car, and Declan preferred walking anyway. They had dressed up, had used the cologne, had even done their hair and…

“You look good,” Daniel spoke up from behind them, a respectful distance away to not be in their melee range and to not earn a punch for having scared them. “Sorry. Hi!” He waved, looking apologetic again. _-didn’t see, should have called out-_ “Did I scare you?”

Declan shook their head; either to signal no or to shake Daniel’s thoughts away from their mind. “Thanks?” They looked at Daniel, his too-tight T-shirt and his too-tight jeans and his too nice jacket. “Uh, you look good too.” He did. He really did. Too good, with his beautiful face and his blushing cheeks. Too perfect to be true.

This was all just a big mistake and Declan would be better off going home, they would-

“Let’s go in then, yes?” Daniel offered with a smile, even offering his hand to them. He was starting to worry too. _-maybe too much, should have invited them home, should have-_

Declan took his hand and they went inside, both blushing, both trying to figure out if this was too much and too fast, just enough or… too little.

\--

After the first round of shots, the beer was still good. They talked; well, Daniel talked and Declan answered when they had something to say. They drank more. People around them danced, mingled, walked off into some shady back room and returned with pleasure on their faces and in their thoughts. They drank more and talked more. Declan lit a cigarette and Daniel watched him smoke, his face turning red and his thoughts dirtier. They drank more.

Daniel leaned close to Declan’s ear, his breath tickling their ear. “Don’t look now but… I think we’re being watched.”  
  
Declan shivered, from the alcohol, from Daniel being this close, from the prospect of someone looking at them. Had they been found out? Would people know who they were? 

They turned to look.

\--

They had been watching the couple for about ten minutes now. They were both tall and handsome, drinking beer faster than anyone else at the bar, but that was where the similarities ended. One of them was blond, confident, with well-fitting clothes. The other, wavy dark hair covering half of their face, slumped as they sat on their chair, looked like they had been dragged out of the shower or a closet, a fidgety tick in their hands that could be either nerves or some kind of an addiction kicking out.

**Interesting** _._

“Jake, would you go and buy the nice gentlemen a drink?”

\--

“Can I buy you a drink?” An Asian man offered them a smile that was not predatory, not flirty, not friendly. Too businesslike. Declan did not know him but Eden did, and they did neither dare nor try to use their powers on him. They did _not_ want to know what might lurk in his head.

Daniel, thankfully, spoke up first. “Only if you want to, but it’s quite alright.” He gave the man one of his best smiles. “We’re not looking for company, to be honest.” A protective arm wrapped around Declan and Declan leaned closer to Daniel. - _should protect...asked them out…-_

As their drinks were being made, the man turned to them, another business-esque smile on his face. “I’m not interested. My -friend is.” The brief pause before _friend_ indicated that whoever had sent him to get them drinks was not a friend.

Before Declan could open his mouth, Daniel coughed, blushing, looking at the person who had been looking at them for a while. “You can thank your friend-partner from us.”

While the man was leaving and they were given drinks, the mysterious person from the corner lifted their glass and tipped it a bit, soundlessly offering cheers or a mock toast. Daniel did the same. Declan poured the whiskey down their throat and shivered as it went down. It tasted better when Eden was drinking, but it was satisfying enough. They were doing their best to keep their mental shields up so they did not notice the person come to the bar.

“Hello, gentlemen.” Their voice was smooth, if not revealing their age. _Like a fine wine_. Declan was not sure if they were thinking that if it was Daniel or both of them. “Not a man,” they managed to reply, looking up at the person’s face. How odd. Had Declan shaved their head, attached numerous piercings to their ears and aged a few years, perhaps they would have seen such a sight in the mirror. But the skin had its flaws, their suit was too expensive and Declan’s hands had a nervous tremor in them. Yet… They looked alike...- _like they could be siblings. hot-_

“Not a man.” The person smiled, turning to the bar to order themself another drink, and the barman silently filled Daniel’s and Declan’ glasses as well. “Hello, all the same.” 

Declan quietly drank their whiskey and Daniel smiled to the person, being polite and charming as he usually was. “We’re not really looking for company.” He said politely, holding up the glass. “Thank you for the drinks.” 

The person simply nodded, getting up and leaving their table. They did not, however, leave their line of sight.

\--

They left the bar and somehow wound up in an alleyway. Declan had taken out their cigarettes as soon as they were outside, and Daniel had an arm around them, supporting them, laughing softly when Declan had cursed when their lighter did not work. He looked at them, no, watched them as they smoked, eyes fixed on their mouth.

- _beautiful._ -

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe some masochistic want to please, maybe a desire to hear more of those beautiful jumbled thoughts. Maybe they wanted to be caught, to be revealed, to… What exactly did they want? Alcohol made everything so wrong and so different… Yet when had things been right, to begin with.

_-careful, have to be careful, drunk and beautiful and drunk and wonderful and-_

Daniel’s mind had always been like an open book. They’re unsure who opened it and who was now flipping through the pages extremely quickly, who was narrating everything that happened… Did it matter?

_-soft. oh boy, here we go oh! **oh** -_

\--

Above, from a balcony, they were being watched. A hand with rings tightened around the glass briefly, then relaxed. A mouth turned to a little smile as they watched, tongue coming out of their mouth to wet the lips as they watched the couple below. They had always been a little voyeuristic, a little too into seeing others and a little too little interested in being there with others. It was quite alright to just see the blond man kiss the other person, to see them both stumbling to the alley and leaning against the wall. In this light, from this height, it was hard to see where one of them ended and where the other started. But they could see and hear enough. 

They did not need to be down there to know what the couple was doing. They were drunk and loud, muffling themselves with kisses or by covering their mouths. There was movement, and even from above there was enough light to see the pale thighs of one of them, the blond one, most likely, they concluded from having briefly seen them at the bar. Then, gasps, muffled by a hand.

“Here of all places?” Jake asked from behind them, quiet enough so that his voice would not alert anyone. They smiled even wider, finishing their drink and pressing a steady hand against their trousers.

“Here of all places.”

They were too far to see how the blond man lifted his eyes and saw them. They were too far to hear how his breath hitched.

They could not hear his thoughts and did not know how seeing them reduced him to desperation.

\--

_-oh looking- being watched~ **oh too good too wet** ~ like siblings **please** -fuck-oh-yes-fuck **OH~** \- _

\--

Ortega was doing his best not to laugh. “Alright,” he said with an amused little smile, still holding his laughter back. “You two went to a bar and then you didn’t even get to his place?”

Declan felt like they were having a headache again. A headache that came and went, and now, that Ortega was here, the headache was as well.

“Please don’t shout it out,” they said, tapping off any excess cigarette dust. “It was embarrassing enough to remember everything when I woke up the next morning.” They sighed again, looking at Ortega. “I’m not used to…”

“Flings?” Ortega offered helpfully, smiling as he sipped on his coffee, looking at his tired friend. “Hooking up and not spending the night together?”

Declan winced again, rubbing their temples. The headache persisted. “Yeah.” They admitted, looking at Ortega. If only Ortega knew the half of it… If he had read Daniel’s mind while both of their mouths were too occupied with words or flesh to speak… If he only knew…

“Do you want it to be a fling?” Ortega asked, having noticed how Declan had been quiet as they smoked their cigarette, letting most of it burn without taking a drag. “Because it can be, you know. Flings are fine, people have flings. It can be more too, people have more too. Just ask Daniel.”

“I’ll ask,” they promised, finishing their coffee and getting up. “Thanks, Ortega. I’ll see you around.”

They would ask Daniel. But what it was that they would ask… Ortega had no idea.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Yes this was very indulgent of me don't @ me.   
> Do comment though.
> 
> find me @softproko on tumblr.


End file.
